Nunez has been trying to deal with soreness on his left side for a while, and even hit in the batting cage when the team arrive in Kansas City. But he didn’t progress to the point where he could play, instead becoming the 12th player to land on the Yankees’ DL this season.

“Instead of trying to test it every day to see where he’s at, we’re just going to give him three, four, five days, maybe try to get him swinging early next week, in the middle sometime,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “If he feels like he’s ready, we’ll try to get him out on some rehab games. It just wasn’t where we wanted and we felt like we couldn’t go any longer.”

The Yankees have been playing with a short bench while waiting for Nunez to come around for about a week. His move to the DL was backdated to May 6.

Girardi had just received word of the irritation from the Yankees’ medical staff, and wasn’t sure whether Nova would undergo any sort of tests on his left side.

David Phelps will pitch the opener against the Indians, and Girardi said left-hander Vidal Nuno or right-hander Adam Warren could pitch Game 2. But that depends on whether the relievers are needed against the Royals are even in the opener in Cleveland, and Girardi didn’t rule out having a starter from Triple-A stashed away at a nearby hotel in case he’s needed Monday.

Girardi did say that pitching CC Sabathia on short rest was not an option.

“I don’t want to say yet,” Girardi said. “I think we have a plan, but I want to wait ’till tomorrow, because there are a lot of things that could happen.”

(Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)